Traditional Medicine Bill makes it through Dewan Negara

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 — The Dewan Negara today passed the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Bill 2012 which requires all traditional medicine practitioners to register with the Council of Traditional and Complementary Medicine.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin, in winding up debate on the Bill, said the title of “doctor” would only be given to qualified traditional and complementary medicine practitioners with a five-year basic degree who also fulfil the qualifications set by the council.

“The Bill does not allow individuals who only attend a short course (in the discipline) to use the title of doctor, for example Dr (H) for a practitioner of homeopathy,” she said.

Rosnah (picture) said 13,811 practitioners of traditional and complementary medicine had registered with the ministry in the country so far.

On Islamic medicine or Rukyah, she said the Health Ministry had published a book “Garis Panduan dalam Perubatan Islam” (Guide to Islamic Medicine) which must be adhered to by the practitioners.

“Some 600 practitioners of Islamic medicine have registered with the ministry,” she said.

Rosnah said eight local institutions of higher learning offered academic studies on traditional and complementary medicine.

“The courses include the Degree Programme for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Bachelor of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Bachelor of Homeopathy.

“The institutions include the Southern College in Skudai; Universiti Tuanku Abdul Rahman; Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences; Management and Science University (MSU) and the Melaka College of Complementary Medicine(MCCM),” she said.

The house will sit again tomorrow. — Bernama